Flash light



'Mitch 71 `1933 H. Kom-:TZKY` Erm. 1,900,505

FLASH LIGHT Filed March 27',v 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 J-El..

Mardi 7, 1933. H KQRETZKY ET AL 1,900,505" I FLASH LIGHT Filed Mai-ch 27, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 vnarran STATE s PATENT ori-ica HARRY xoRETzxY, oFJERsnYciTY, New JERSEY; MAX Honowrraor BROOKLYN,

NEW YORK, AND ANTHONY J. DESIMONE OF NEW'YORK .ApplicationV filed March 27,

This invention rela-tes to improvements in electrical switch mechanism and more especiallyto switches adapted for use with portable electric lamps, such, for example, as the well-known flashlight.

An object of this invention is a flashlight switch which si'niplepin structure, easy to operate, inexpensive to manufacture and in which meansareprovidcd to prevent accidental 'closing of the circuit. f f

Other objects, novel -featui'es and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 isV an elevation of a flashlight equipped with switch mechanism embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2.a of Fig. i; f

' Fig. 3 is a bottom View of a switch mechanism Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on Vthe line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 2.on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a modification;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 7-7'of Fig. 6; I

Fig. 8 is a bottom viewof another modification;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8; f

Fig. 10 is a bottom view of'a further modification;

' Fig. 11 is a section oii the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of a still further modilication, and

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Referring now more especially to Figs. 1 to 4'inc-lusive, 10 designates the tube of a vflashlight and 11 designates the switch mechanism attached to the outer wall of the tube. This switch mechanism ycomprises a casing orescutcheonplate 12 having a flange in which are provided holes for rivets by; which the same is attachedto the tube. A slide or housing 13 is attached tothe casing 12 by means of tongues 14 which extend LYNDHURST, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TOVBRIGHT STAR BATTERY COMPANY, GF HVOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION y FLASH LIGHT 17931. Serial No. 525,804.

from the slide through slots in the casing 12, the inner `ends of the tongues being bent over. The slidef13 is rtubular andk has its upper edge vrolled inwardlyas shown in Fig. 2 to form a shoulder 13a. A leaf spring 15 is attached at one'end to the'casing by ineansof a. rivet or the. like 15a and islpi'ovided with a hump or offset 16 which extends through an aperture in the` casing 12 into the slide 13. A plate or disk 17 rests onthe hump 16 and engages the shoulder 18e. The.y freey end of the leaf spring 15 extends obliquely downwardly and is adapted to pass through a .slot in the casing 10 intol engagement with a contact strip 18 supported by the casing 10 with a strip of insulating material `19 interposed; The strips 18 and 19 are fastened together with rivets, the heads of which are counteisunlr 1 in the insulating strip 19, thereby avoiding contact with the casing 10. Between the hump 16 and the rivet-15a the spi-infr 15 is olfset downwardly at 20. A slide 21 is held against the yunder face ofy the casing 12 by the tongues 14 which fit into notches inthe slide so that the latter is movable with lthe housing 13. The hump 16 is Icut away to provide shoulders 24 and shoulders25 while the slide is provided with inwardly projecting `portions 26 which are adapted in one position of the slide to overlielthe shoulders 24 and hold the contact member in circuit closing position and in another position-to underlie the shoulders 25 and prevent flexing of the contact member and in an intermediate positionto permit free movement ofthe contact member. The slide 21 can be moved from its intermediate position into position to prevent;y tlexingof the contact member merely by pressure on the housing 13'. However, tlie slide is locked by the shoulders 24 against movement into its other position and` can be moved from the intermediate position into suoli position only after the con-v tact member has been flexed, this flexing being accomplished by pressureon the disk Y.The strip 18` may be slidably supportedv by the tube 10 if the switch mechanism is used with focusing flashlight of the type slots in the tube 10.

disclosed in co-pending application, Serial No. 525,805 iiled March 27, 1931. In such event, the contact member 18 may be connected to a slide 27 mounted on the casing inwhichthe flashlight is being held.

In the modification disclosed in Figs. 5

- to 7 inclusive, the housing` 13 is slidablyV at-v tached to the casing 12 by tongues 14 which extend 'from the housing through slotsrin the casing and have .their inner ends bent over Vland extending toward each other.4V

The humpl of the spring is cut away to provide'shoulders 24 vwhich are engageable by the tongues 14 to 'preventmovement of the .casing 13 vin one direction. The widthofthe hump 16 is. lessV than the distance between the ends of the tongues 14.

The contact member 15 may befleXe'd by pressure on the plate on di'skxlx' to bring Vthe free end of the contact member'into engagement with the metal strip 18. Y` When the ContactV member isfIeXed intorcircuit closingv position, theV casing 13 may be moved forward tolock the contact' member in circuit closing position. However, the casing 13 cannot Ybe sli-d' forward until after the contact,y member has been fieXed to move the shoulder24l out of the path of the tongues 14. In this modification no means are provided to lock the'contact member in circuitjopen position. Y.

In the modiiication disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9the-housing 13 is slidably'mounted on the casing 12 by means of tongues 14 rwhich fit into notches inthe "slide 21. The

' hump 16 is cut yaway to provide shoulders j.` under which the slide is adapted to lie "to prevent flexing' of the contact member 15,

thereby holding the ysame in circuit open position.v AThe contactmember is provided withy an oblique portion 15b which is adapted to be engaged by the slide 21 upon forward movement of the. housing V13, thereby moving Vthe contact member into circuit closed position infwhich it is held by the slide. With they housing 13 in the position/shown in Fig 9, the contact member 15 may' beflexedby pressure disk 17.

Iiithemodiiication disclosed in Figs. 10 and 11,*the housing 13 is slidably attached vto the casing 12 by tongues 14. The hump 16 isczutaway to provide shoulders 25 which are adapted'in one position of the housing 13 to engage the tongues 14, thereby locking the contactmember 15 in circuit open position. With the housing 13 in the position` shown in Fig. 11, the contact member may Y be flexed' by pressure on'the disk 17. By

cutting away the hump 16,' the tongues 15e "of .the thumb of the hand are formed which are provided with oblique surfaces engageable by the tongues 14 to 'move the contact member into circuit closposition upon forward movement of they e held in this iiie C l 4 Y n slide, the Contact member being Yposition by thetongues-14. w

A button 28 has av flange 29 whiclirests. on,`

the free end of the contact. member 15 with the main portion of the. button projecting through apertures in the casing 12 and slide 13. -V The con-tact ymember 15 is provided Vwith obliquely arrangedtongues 150 which are engageabl'e .by the tongues 14-toniove the lcontact member finto 'circuit closing positionV upon forward ymovement of.; the 'slide 13, the-contactmember being held inthis position ybythe tongues 14. The downward movement of the contact'n'iemb'er 15 moves thebutton 28 to permit` forward movement of the slide 13. y`Witli the Vparts in .the position shown `inFig.` 13, the contact 'member may be flexed. intocireuit" closing position by pressure on thebutton 28.

In 'each 'of the] modifications accidental operation of the flashliglitis prevented by having the pressure member yguarded by l,

an annular upstanding-ridge. Also in the various 'modifi-cations, the `plate or disk 17 is embossed with a suitable figure which i may bein the nature of Aa Vtrade mark, if desired.v e The switch mechanism may be combined with focusing means assliown'in Figs. 14

to .11 when used kwith `a focusing flashlight or may be used by itself as a non-focusing Y fiaslilight. kIn the latter event, the slide 27'` will be dispensed with'and the contact mem-.

bei' 18will be rigidly fixed Vto the casing 10. It is ot course understood"that various modifications may be made in' the structure' above described, without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as 'de` fined in the appended claims.

l/Ve claim: y e I 1f. Switch mechanism comprising a casing,

a contact member .within said casing andv fixed thereto at one' end and khaving an ofi set' portion at its other end, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said vcasing andv enclosing said oiifset portion, a disk resting on said .offset portion, an annular shoulder in said housing engageable by said disk, and means movable with said vhousing to engage ian said contact member for holdingit inV cirinto such position.

, cuitfclosed positionl V'after having been moved p' Y 2.Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, acontact member fixed at onev end tol said easingy and having an offset portion projecting through said aper-Y,

ture, a tubular housing slidably .mounted on said casing andenclosing said offset portion,

aperture, a

an annular shoulder in said housing, al disk resting on said offset portion and enga-ging said shoulder, and means movable with said housing for locking the contact member in circuit closed position after it has been moved into such position.

3. Switch mechanism comprising a casino' having an aperature, a contact member fixed at one end to said easing and having an offset portion projecting through said aperture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said. offset portion, an annular shoulder in said housing, a disk resting on said offset portion and engaging said shoulder, means movable with said housing for locking the contact member in circuit closed position after it has been moved into such position, and means for preventing movement of said housing in one direction until after the contact member has been moved into circuit closed position.

l. Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a contact member fixed at one end to said casing and having an offset portion p-rojecting through said tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a shoulder in said tubular housing, a disk resting on said offset por tion and engaging said shoulder, a plate within said casing connected to said housing for movement therewith, said plate and contact member being provided with coacting shoulders for locking the contact member in circuit open position in one position of the plate and in circuit closed position in another position of the plate.

Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a contact member fixed at one end to said casing and having an offset portion projecting through said aperture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a. shoulder in said tubular housing, a disk resting on said offset portion and engaging said shoulder, a plate within said casing connected to said housing for movement therewith, said plate andl Contact member being provided with coacting shoulders for locking the contact member in circuit open position in one position of the plate and in circuit closed postion in another position of the plate, said plate being locked against movement in one direction until after the contact member has been moved into circuit closed position.

6. Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a contact member fixed at one end of the casing and having au offset portion projecting through said aperture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a shoulder in said housing, a disk resting on said offset portion and engaging said shoulder and means movable with said Vder and means movable with said housing for holding said contact member in circuit closed position-,after it has been movedto such position, said slide being locked against movement in one direction by said contact member untily after said contact member has been moved to circuit closedvposition.

8. Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a contact member' fixed at one end to said casing and having an offset portion projecting through said aper-V ture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a disk resting on said offset portion,l

means for retaining said disk in said housing, said contact member having oblique portions, and means movable with said housing into engagement with said oblique portion for moving the contact member into circuit closed position.

9. Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a Contact member fixed at one end tosaid casing and having an offset portion projecting through said aperture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a disk resting on said offset portion, means for retaining said disk in said housing, said contact member having oblique portions, means movable with said housing into engagement with said oblique portion for moving the Contact member into circuit closed position and shoulders formed on said contact member for engagement by said means to hold the contact member in circuit open position.

l0. Switch mechanism comprising a casing having an aperture, a contact member fixed at one end to said casing and having an offset portion projecting through said aperture, a tubular housing slidably mounted on said casing and enclosing said offset portion, a disk resting on said offset portion, means for retaining said disk within said housing, a plate within said casing connected to said housing for movement therewith, said Contact member having an oblique portion engageable by said plate for moving the Contact member into circuit closed position.

11. Switch mechanism comprising a cas-` ing having an aperture, a contact member fixed at one yend to said casing and having an offset portion projecting through said foal ilo

aperture, 'a tubular honsing slidably mounted on said easing and enclosingsaidy offset Y portion, :i disk restingv on said'offset portion, means for retaining said diskV Within Vseid housing a plate within said easing connect-y ed to said housing for movement therewith,

said Contact member having an oblique por-l tion engageable by saidgplate for moving the Contact member into circuit closed position, and shoulders on sind Contact member engageable by said plate-.in one position,

thereof to lock the conta-ct Cuit open'jposition.

member in cir- N In .testimony whereof, We have signed e our names ytovthis specification. o Y

, HARRY KonrfrzKY.y MAX HoRoWITZ. L ANTHONY J. DEsrMoNn 

